Tau Sigma Delta Mss - Clemson Universitymedia.clemson.edu/.../manuscripts/Mss0345TauSigmaDelta.pdf · 2019-04-19 · to Tau Sigma Delta, as another fraternity was found with the name

Tau Sigma Delta Mss.0345 Records of the Grand Chapter Recorder

file:///C/Users/jredd/Desktop/Mss0345TauSigmaDelta.html[4/19/2019 2:06:32 PM]

Clemson University Libraries Special Collections

Tau Sigma Delta Mss.0345

Records of the Grand Chapter Recorder

Summary InformatIon

repositoryClemson University Libraries Special Collections

CreatorTau Sigma Delta.

titleTau Sigma Delta: Records of the Grand ChapterRecorder

IDMss.0345

Date [inclusive]1916-1955

Extent5.85 cubic feet

LanguageEnglish

Preferred Citation

When citing materials from manuscript collectionsand the University Archives, use the followingformat: Identification of the item, folder and boxnumber, title of the collection, Special Collections,Clemson University Libraries, Clemson, SouthCarolina.

Return to Table of Contents »

HIStorICaL notE

On June 5, 1913, Fred B. Klein, Harry F. Weeks, Harold M.

tabLE of ContEntS

Summary Information

Historical Note

Tau Sigma Delta Officers

Scope and Contents

Arrangement

Administrative Information

Controlled Access Headings

Sources

Collection Inventory

Series 1: Grand ChapterCorrespondence

Series 2: Tau SigmaDelta Constitution

Series 3: ChapterRecords

Supplemental Research



Penny and Herbert L. Burgess formed Tau Delta Sigma, anhonor fraternity for architecture and the allied arts, at theUniversity of Michigan in Ann Arbor. Six days later, theyelected six additional members, including the first womanmember, Dorothy E. Adams. In the fall of 1916, fivemembers of the fraternity decided to make it national,writing a constitution and establishing rituals andstandards for election. At this time, the name was changedto Tau Sigma Delta, as another fraternity was found withthe name Tau Delta Sigma. The University of Michiganchapter became the Alpha Chapter and Beta Chapter wasincorporated at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolison May 11, 1917. Other chapters followed, including thefirst and only international chapter, Zeta Chapter at theUniversity of Liverpool in England. Some attempts toestablish chapters did not take hold because a competingsociety, the Gargoyle Society, had a stronger presence.Tau Sigma Delta was accepted as a member of theNational Association of College Honor Societies onFebruary 28, 1948. In July 2011, there wereapproximately 63 active chapters.The five men who took the fraternity to a national levelwere Fred J. Kolb (student), George M. McConkey(professor), Ernest H. Trysell (student), Gilbert S.Underwood (student) and Harlow O. Whittemore(professor). Gilbert Stanley Underwood, later known forhis National Park lodge designs, was an enthusiasticchampion for the organization in the first few years andserved as the first Grand Chapter Master (1916-1922). Hecame up with a handshake and designs for pledge cardsand promoted the fraternity at various schools as hetravelled. He was initiated into the fraternity on May 22,1916. Ernest Hugo Trysell was also initiated on May 22,1916 and was the most constant officer in the early years,serving as Grand Chapter Recorder from 1916-1923 and1929-1949.


tau SIgma DELta offICErS

grand Chapter recorders

1916-1923 Ernest H. Trysell

1923-1929 John Somppi

1929-1949 Ernest H. Trysell

1949-1953 Verle L. Annis

1954 Leonard Wolf (interim)

1955- Verle L. Annis



grand Chapter masters

1916-1922

Gilbert S. Underwood

1923-1925

George S. Fraser

1926-1949

Philip Homer Elwood

1949 Thomas K. Fitzpatrick(interim)

1950- Philip Homer Elwood

Vice-grand Chapter officer

1923-1924 Philip Homer Elwood

grand Chapter Scribes

1918-1921 Jim Atwood

1923-1937 Wilbert C. Ronan

1949- Paul Henry Coy


SCoPE anD ContEntS

This collection is comprised of the files of the GrandChapter Recorder of Tau Sigma Delta from 1916 to 1955and, as such, consists chiefly of correspondence to andfrom Ernest Trysell who served in this role for the bulk ofthe time. The Recorder was responsible for all financialtransactions including the collection of initiation fees andthe ordering and distribution of fraternity keys (pins),membership certificates, pledge cards and stationery.Correspondence concerns these transactions, but alsoincludes numerous references to the effect of two WorldWars and the Great Depression on membership andcollege enrollment. Early correspondence in particulardocuments the problems attendant to forming andmaintaining a national organization. There are alsooccasional references to family and occupation.In addition to correspondence, the collection containspledge cards, grade cards, membership certificates,initiation banquet programs and menus, clippings,sketches, several versions of the Tau Sigma Deltaconstitution, membership lists, pamphlets, bankstatements, and three photographs. The presence ofmembership materials such as grade cards and certificatesis incidental, typically the result of a mistake in lettering or



in a decision not to join as the Recorder was not the finalrecipient of these materials.


arrangEmEnt

Records are arranged in three series: Chapter Records,Grand Chapter Correspondence and Tau Sigma DeltaConstitution. Chapter records were found arranged bychapter and largely in chronological order within eachchapter and this order has been maintained. The chaptersare listed in order of installation date. National officercorrespondence was found arranged by role, then bycorrespondent, then in chronological order and this orderhas been maintained. Constitution files were in nodiscernible order and have been arranged in chronologicalorder.


aDmInIStratIVE InformatIon

Publication Information

Clemson University Libraries Special Collections 2011September 20

Custodial History

These records were transferred to Special Collections fromthe Clemson University School of Architecture on July 25,2003, accession number 03.144. Series 83, College ofArchitecture contains references to Tau Sigma Delta in aJune 3, 1970 letter from Emil C. Fischer to Harlan McClureat Clemson regarding Fischer’s resignation as GrandChapter Master as well as that of John Helm, GrandChapter Recorder. Fischer appoints McClure Grand ChapterMaster and Hal Cooledge (also of Clemson) Grand ChapterRecorder. An October 1, 1970 letter from Fischer toMcClure mentions that “Professor Helm just sent all theTau Sigma Delta files via Mayflower.” While there are nospecifics about the files, it seems likely that they are thefiles of the Grand Chapter Recorder because in an October30, 1970 letter, Joseph L. Young thanks Helm for the bankbook and a money order for $60.57 adding that “the filesand several boxes arrived a week ago, but I am just nowgetting time to open them and realize what a big job Ihave stepped into.” Young asks about procedures forestablishing a new chapter and uses the title of GrandChapter Recorder indicating that he, not Cooledge,stepped into the position.



Processing Information

Envelopes, the original file folders, duplicates, and routineletters sent to confirm other mailings were discarded. Alarge quantity of the retained correspondence consists ofcarbon copies of the Recorder’s outgoing correspondence.Much of this was on brittle, poor-quality paper. Mostcarbon copies were photocopied and the original wasdiscarded, unless it was not possible to get a clearphotocopy in which case both original and copy areincluded. Incoming correspondence on high quality paperwas left alone; incoming correspondence on low qualitypaper was photocopied and originals were retained.Photocopies are interleaved with originals to serve as abuffer between acidic papers. Grade cards and a few otherpostcards were typically on a low quality cardstock andthese have been inserted in photo sleeves. All rustingmetal staples and fasteners were removed and replacedwith plastic clips or stainless steel staples.Jen Bingham, staff archivist, processed these papers in2011.


ControLLED aCCESS HEaDIngS

Corporate name(s)

Burr, Patterson & Auld Co.Gargoyle Society.

genre(s)

CertificatesCorrespondence.Programs (documents)Report cards

Personal name(s)

Annis, Verle LincolnElwood, P.H., (Philip Homer), b. 1884Ernest Hugo Trysell, 1892-1953Ronan, Wilbert Cathmore, 1887-1973Somppi, John Emil, 1894-1968Underwood, Gilbert Stanley


SourCES



[Clemson University] College of Architecture, 1940-1988.Series 83. Special Collections, Clemson UniversityLibraries, Clemson, SC.Tau Sigma Delta: Records of the Grand Chapter Recorder.Mss 345. Special Collections, Clemson University Libraries,Clemson, SC.


CoLLECtIon InVEntory

Series 1: grand Chapter Correspondence 1917-1950 Description

This series contains correspondence between GrandChapter Recorders Ernest Trysell and John Somppi and theother officers of the Grand Chapter. Of particular interestare the early Gilbert Underwood letters which include asketch of the proposed handshake, ideas for membershipcriteria and other information pertaining to thenationalization of the fraternity.

box foLDEr

Grand Chapter Master correspondence:G.S. Underwood 1917

1 1


1 2


1 3

Grand Chapter Master correspondence:G.S. Underwood January-April 1920

1 4

Grand Chapter Master correspondence:G.S. Underwood May-December 1920

1 5


1 6


1 7

Grand Chapter Master correspondence:G.S. Underwood and GeorgeFraser 1923

1 8



Grand Chapter Vice-Grand ChapterOfficer correspondence: P.H.Elwood 1923-1924

1 9

Grand Chapter Master correspondence:George Fraser 1924

1 10

Grand Chapter Master correspondence:George Fraser 1925

1 11

Grand Chapter Master correspondence:P.H. Elwood 1926

1 12

Grand Chapter Master correspondence:P.H. Elwood 1927-1928

1 13


1 14


1 15


1 16


1 17


1 18


1 19


1 20


1 21


1 22


1 23




1 24


1 25


1 26

Grand Chapter Master correspondence:Thomas Fitzpatrick 1949

2 1


2 2

Grand Chapter Scribe correspondence:Charles Attwood 1918

2 3

Grand Chapter Scribe correspondence:Charles Attwood 1919-1921

2 4

Grand Chapter Scribe correspondence:W.C. Ronan 1923-1924

2 5


2 6


2 7

Grand Chapter Scribe correspondence:W.C. Ronan 1930

2 8


2 9


2 10

Grand Chapter Recordercorrespondence: Ernest Trysell andJohn Somppi 1923-1924

2 11

Grand Chapter Recorder'sAccount December 26, 1929

2 12

Tau Sigma Delta bank 2 13



statements 1950-1952


Series 2: tau Sigma Delta Constitution circa 1917-1948 Description

This series contains several incarnations of the Tau SigmaDelta constitution, as well as correspondence pertaining tothe constitution. References to and suggestions for theconstitution can also be found in Series 3: ChapterRecords.

box foLDEr

Sample constitutions: Alpha Chi Rho,undated; Beta Phi, March 1, 1917; TauSigma Delta Alpha Chapter,undated circa 1917

2 14

Tau Sigma Delta constitution circa1913-1918

2 15

Tau Sigma Delta constitution circa1918

2 16

Tau Sigma Delta constitution, heavilyannotated (photocopy) circa 1918-1923

2 17

Tau Sigma Delta constitution, heavilyannotated (original) circa 1918-1923

2 17A

Tau Sigma Delta constitution,annotated [Convention ofDetroit] October 5, 1923

2 18

Tau Sigma Delta constitution circa1923-1933

2 19

Tau Sigma Delta proposed amendedconstitution February 2, 1933

2 20

Tau Sigma Delta constitution,proposed revision April 1933

2 21

Tau Sigma Delta constitution May 1, 2 22



1948

Tau Sigma Delta constitutioncorrespondence 1933

2 23

Tau Sigma Delta constitution revisionballots 1933

2 24

Tau Sigma Delta constitutioncorrespondence 1940-1942

2 25

Tau Sigma Delta constitutioncorrespondence 1948

2 26


Series 3: Chapter records 1916-1953 Description

The Chapter Records document the installation,maintenance and occasional decline of the Tau SigmaDelta chapters installed between 1916 (Alpha) and 1951(Pi). While an attempt was made to name chapters byletters of the Greek alphabet in order of installation date,this system seems to have broken down occasionally dueto rescheduled installations, an incomplete understandingof the Greek alphabet and, in the case of TulaneUniversity, a petition to maintain the name of a precedingorganization. Local chapter governance followed theexample of the Grand Chapter by electing a chaptermaster, scribe and recorder. The Chapter Records arelargely correspondence-based, though they include somepledge cards, certificates, financial records, banquetprograms and three photographs.

alpha Chapter (university of michigan, annarbor) 1916-1955 about alpha Chapter

The local Tau Sigma Delta fraternity at the University ofMichigan, Ann Arbor became the Alpha Chapter of TauSigma Delta when the fraternity went national with theaddition of Beta Chapter in 1917. Eliel Saarinen wasmade an honorary member on April 24, 1924.

box foLDEr

Alpha Chapter (includes originalconstitution) 1916

2 27



Alpha Chapter 1917 2 28



Alpha Chapter January-March 1920 2 31

Alpha Chapter April-July 1920 2 32






































beta Chapter (university of minnesota) 1917-1935,1941 about beta Chapter

Incorporated on May 11, 1917 by charter members AlbertJ. Moorman, Donald H. Buckhout, George F. Poulsen,Seeman Kaplan, and Enock E. Forsberg of the Universityof Minnesota. Charter relinquished on October 3, 1935.Notable initiates include Florian S. Kleinschmidt (1920),



the first leader of the Texas Tech architecture programand Arnold, Newell Hills Arnold (1933), a deaf-mutesculptor known for his religious sculptures.

box foLDEr

Beta Chapter 1917 4 13



















4 32



Tau Sigma Delta Consitution, BetaChapter copy 1917-1935 Limpleather bound, taffeta lined, membersignatures in back.


Chi Chapter (university of Illinois) 1918--1924, 1930-1933, 1948 about Chi Chapter

Chi Chapter was installed at the University of Illinois, onor about May 25, 1918. The charter members were JohnBickel, Wylie Bloodgood, Herbert Jacobi and ErnestStouffer. The four men did not return to Illinois thefollowing year and the chapter languished, despite GrandChapter attempts to revive it.

box foLDEr

Chi Chapter 1918 5 1




Chi Chapter 1922-1924 5 5


Chi Chapter 1931-1933, 1948 5 7

Delta Chapter (Syracuse university) 1918-1955 about Delta Chapter

This chapter was installed at Syracuse University in May1918. The founding members were Carl J. Schmitt, VaheBalikdjian, Bernard Hagberg and Kenneth Snow. IvanMestrovic (1883-1962), a Croatian artist who was thefirst living person to have a one-man show at theMetropolitan Museum of Art, was made an honorarymember of Delta chapter in 1947.

box foLDEr

Delta Chapter 1918 5 8














Delta Chapter January - March 1930 5 20

Delta Chapter April - November 1930 5 21


























Delta Chapter 1954-1955 6 16

Epsilon Chapter (university of Pennsylvania) 1918-1955 about Epsilon Chapter

Epsilon Chapter was chartered at the University ofPennsylvania circa June 1918 by Alfred A. Scheffer,James Kellum Smith, Alvin Chester Bieber, William HenryLivingston and John Woolson Brooks. Donald Barthelme(1907-1996), architect and father of Donald Barthelme,writer, served as Epsilon chapter scribe from 1929 to1931.

box foLDEr

Epsilon Chapter 1918 6 17











Epsilon Chapter 1927-1928 7 3




























Epsilon Chapter 1954-1955 7 29

gamma Chapter (Carnegie Institute oftechnology) 1919-1955 about gamma Chapter

Gamma Chapter was installed at the Carnegie Institute ofTechnology in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on June 2, 1919.The charter members were Phillip Friedman, OrvilRansom Olmsted and Ira S. Stark.

box foLDEr

Gamma Chapter February-July 1919 7 30

Gamma Chapter September -December 1919

8 1

Gamma Chapter January - March1920

8 2

Gamma Chapter April - December1920

8 3



Gamma Chapter 1921 8 4







Gamma Chapter 1928-1929 8 11

























Zeta Chapter (university of Liverpool) 1919-1925,1930, 1949-1950 about Zeta Chapter

The first and only international chapter, Zeta Chapter wasinstalled at the University of Liverpool in England in Marchor April of 1919. However, in 1930, Professor C.H. Reillyof Liverpool wrote that "by a unanimous vote...theChapter...was dissolved. It was felt it made a division inthe School and did more harm than good."

box foLDEr

Zeta Chapter 1919-1920 9 4

Zeta Chapter 1921 9 5




Zeta Chapter 1925, 1930, 1949-1950

9 9

Eta Chapter (university of California, berkeley) 1920-1937, 1946, 1948 about Eta Chapter

Eta was installed at the University of California, Berkeleyon May 13, 1920. The charter members were Lionel H.



Pries, Duke A. Lovell, Gerald J. Fitzgerald, Eldridge T.Spencer and Mervyn Gunzendorfer. The chapter becameinactive in 1936.

box foLDEr

Eta Chapter 1920 9 10






Eta Chapter 1926-1927 9 16








Eta Chapter 1935-1936 9 24

Eta Chapter 1937, 1946, 1948 9 25

theta Chapter (ohio State university) 1919-1939,1943, 1945, 1948 about theta Chapter

Theta Chapter was installed at Ohio State University inColumbus, Ohio, on June 8, 1922. It was the first chapterto be installed at a school that was not a member of theAssociation of Collegiate Schools in Architecture. Thecharter members were William Frederic Breidenbach,



Milton S. Osborne, Paul Luther Wood, Harvey StewartCrass, Thomas Drees Price, Charles St. John Chubb Jr.,Wilbert Cathmore Ronan, Joseph N. Bradford, and PhillipHomer Elwood. Ronan and Elwood eventually becameGrand Chapter officers. Theta Chapter also brought inFrank Lloyd Wright as a speaker for their fall initiationbanquet in 1932. Despite these strengths, no electionswere made to Theta Chapter after the spring semester of1935.

box foLDEr

Theta Chapter 1919-1920 9 26

Theta Chapter 1921 9 27











Theta Chapter January - October1932

10 6

Theta Chapter November - December1932

10 7

Theta Chapter January - March 1933 10 8

Theta Chapter April 1933 10 9

10 10



Theta Chapter May - December 1933







Theta Chapter 1943, 1945, 1948 10 17

Iota Chapter (university of Washington, Seattle) 1924-1953 about Iota Chapter

Iota was installed at the University of Washington inSeattle, Washington in May 1924. The charter memberswere John Theodore Jacobsen, Henry Brown Hoover,Victor Noble Jarrett Jones, William Bragdon Glynn andJohn Ivar Martson.

box foLDEr

Iota Chapter 1924 10 18









10 27



Iota Chapter 1935






Iota Chapter 1941-1942 11 6


Iota Chapter 1944-1945 11 8









Kappa Chapter (Iowa State College) 1930-1953 about Kappa Chapter

This chapter was installed June 4, 1930 at Iowa StateCollege in Ames, Iowa. The charter members were AllenHolmes Kimball, Gerhard Irving Griffith, Walter E. Bedke,Leonard Wolf, Glenn E. Crippen, George Oliver Beach,Ernest Clifford Ebert, Harold Ludwig Hunzinger, LeRoyHoward Wendt, Edouard Evartt Exline, Norman ArthurMorriss, John Merton Hall and Clyde Eldon Jones. P.H.Elwood, Grand Chapter Master of Tau Sigma Delta at thetime, was on the faculty at Iowa State.



box foLDEr

Kappa Chapter 1930 11 17














Kappa Chapter 1944-1945 11 31











mu Chapter (university of texas, austin) 1930-1953 about mu Chapter

Mu Chapter was installed at the University of Texas,Austin on May 29, 1931. The charter members wereWilburn William Rheinlander, Arthur Mathis Jr., NancyeMarie Tacquard, Miriam Elaine Storrs, RichardSchermerhorn Rowe, Walter Carraway Harris Jr. and JoeColeman Lair.

box foLDEr

Mu Chapter 1930 11 40

Mu Chapter January - May 1931 11 41

Mu Chapter June - December 1931 11 42









Mu Chapter 1940-1941 12 7














Lambda Chapter (university of SouthernCalifornia) 1930-1953 about Lambda Chapter

This chapter of Tau Sigma Delta was installed at theUniversity of Southern California in Los Angeles, Californiaon June 3, 1931. The charter members were John FrancisMeehan, Stanley Leroy Melone, Walter Harry Tyler,Thorton M. Abell, Christian Eberle Choate, Richard MerrillJr., Albert Nozaki, E.S. Okubo and Boris R. Leven.

box foLDEr

Lambda Chapter 1930 12 19

Lambda Chapter January - May 1931 12 20

Lambda Chapter June - December1931

12 21










Lambda Chapter 1939-1940 12 29









nu Chapter (Virginia Polytechnic Institute) 1942-1953 about nu Chapter

Nu Chapter was installed at Virginia Polytechnic Institutein Blacksburg, Virginia on June 7, 1947. The chartermembers were Henry M. Arnold, John A. C. Lansing, A.B.McCullough, Robert A. Sears and Joseph P. Staniunas.The chapter also extended an offer of membership to sixmen who attempted to charter a chapter in 1942. Thisinitial attempt was not successful in part because, whilethe "students agreed to the clause permitting theinduction of any race or creeds into the fraternity....theadministration did not agree with this statement" (May27, 1943 letter from David Tatman).

box foLDEr

Nu Chapter 1942 12 38



Nu Chapter, Information Concerningthe Department of ArchitecturalEngineering Spring 1946

13 1



Nu Chapter January - May 1947 13 2

Nu Chapter June - December 1947 13 3







Eta alpha Chapter (tulane university) 1949-1953 about Eta alpha Chapter

Eta Alpha was installed at Tulane University in NewOrleans, Louisiana on December 10, 1949. The chartermembers were James Buchanan Blitch, Emile deArmas,William Henry Woodward, Salvatore Charles Moschella,Jesse Oron Morgan Jr., Raymond Joseph Boudreaux andKenneth Charles Landry.

box foLDEr

Eta Alpha Chapter 1949 13 10



Eta Alpha Chapter 1952-1953 13 13

omicron Chapter (Kansas State College) 1949-1953 about omicron Chapter

Omicron Chapter was installed at Kansas State College inManhattan, Kansas on April 27, 1950. The chartermembers were Roland Albert Carlson, Alfred Greif Jr.,John O. Hankammer, Ivan Neal Humble, Russell ArnoldJones, Oliver Hickman Ogden, Forest Adelbert Phillips,Andrew Canile Rossetti, Eldon Bengston Swensson, andHerbert James Voll.

box foLDEr

Omicron Chapter 1949-1950 13 14



Omicron Chapter 1951 13 15



Pi Chapter (university of Kansas) 1950-1953 about Pi Chapter

Pi Chapter was installed at the University of Kansas inLawrence, Kansas on January 29, 1951. The chartermembers were William Merrill Conrad, Charles AloysiusHenggeler, John David Miller, Donald Foster Drummond,Martin William Kaufman, William Beckley Hayward,Howard Herman Nearing, and Robert Keith Thayer.

box foLDEr

Pi Chapter 1950 13 18

Pi Chapter 1951 13 19

Pi Chapter 1952-1953 13 20


Supplemental research 2011

box foLDEr

Tau Sigma Delta history, chapter list,procedures manual and constitutionfrom websitewww.tausigmadelta.org April 22, 2011

13 21

Ernest H. Trysell biographicaldata 2011

13 22

University of Michigan yearbookpages: Alpha Rho Chi 1917, Tau SigmaDelta 1917, students 1915,1917 2011

Existence of originals

This folder contains downloaded copiesof pages of the Michigensian yearbookfrom the University of Michigan's

13 23

http://www.tausigmadelta.org/



Making of America Books digitalcollection.


http://quod.lib.umich.edu/m/moa/

Documents

Tau Sigma Delta Mss - Clemson Universitymedia.clemson.edu/.../manuscripts/Mss0345TauSigmaDelta.pdf · 2019-04-19 · to Tau Sigma Delta, as another fraternity was found with the name